On the Rocks (Pub Fiction Book 2) (11 page)

“Great. Even better.”

“I’ll start up front here, checking all the fire extinguishers and WHMIS forms and whatever else it says here in the fire and safety sections.” He gestures to the papers scattered on the bar. “When the others arrive, if you’re not ready, I’ll just assign them each a few small jobs in the meantime. We got this, boss, go figure that shit out and get yourself feeling better.”

With that, I nod. “Thanks, man, I appreciate it, even if you’re trying to kill me and take over my life with your…drinks” I raise the glass before heading back to my office where, thank fuck, it’s dark and quiet. At this point, I decide I might as well drink the death mix ’cause it sure as hell can’t make me feel any worse.

Braunwyn

A
fter Luke shared
that Levi was in his office getting a few things sorted, he thanked us for coming then quickly assigned us tasks. My job was to straighten out the storage room, a job I happily accepted, as today is a rough day for me.

Today is the anniversary of when Shawn and I moved in together, so being asked to work was a good distraction. Being given a quiet room to myself was an even better one. I’d managed to keep busy the rest of the weekend with schoolwork and hanging out with my Little Miss, anything to distract my wandering mind. But Grams and Emmerson were off at the movies today, so I could have easily just sat in my room all day, torturing myself, thinking about all the shoulda-woulda-coulda’s like I do each year, so work is a welcome trade off. Might as well get paid for my bad mood right? Plugging in my iPod, I select my favourite playlist and get to work.

After re-labelling the shelves, I move on to opening boxes of replacement bar garnishes, including jars of maraschino cherries, cartons of those little drink umbrellas, stir sticks, and straws. I inventory them all, then place them in their proper spots, neat and tidy.

Just as I’m about to open the last box, my favourite song comes on. I turn it up, my hips and legs moving to the beat of their own accord. A few hot tears stream down my face as I dance to the words blaring from the small speakers. I’m not sure if they’re tears of sadness or tears of joy, because for the first time since this anniversary has come and gone over the last four years, I don’t feel a fraction of the heaviness in my heart that I usually do. It’s a feeling that I bask in as I continue to dance in the storage room at Pub Fiction.

An image of Levi comes into my mind as I swing my hips to the heavy music, before finishing off my performance with a twirl. And that’s when I feel it.
Him
. Not only is he overtaking my mind, but as I turn around I’m met with Levi himself, and he looks as beautiful standing before me as he did in my mind only a second ago. Like he knew I needed him near me. Like I needed a friend right now. However, watching the way he’s taking me in, the last thing I want from him is his friendship.

“Levi,” I say, meeting his gaze.

“Braunwyn,” he counters in a deep timbre while staring back and forth from my eyes to my mouth as if seeking permission.

Then it happens. In my need for him, a need for intimate contact, both lust and want take over and I jump up, wrapping my legs around his strong body, willing him to give me what I want in that moment. Comfort. I have no clue what the hell has gotten into me but as Levi scoops me up, growling in clear approval, any need for justification is erased from my mind. We take each other’s lips so reverently I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. It all just feels so right.

With a low growl from deep in Levi’s throat, we’re suddenly on the move, my back quickly meeting the wall, and the door slamming shut behind us.

“Fuck, baby, I’ve been thinking of your taste for so long,” he grits out, trailing hot kisses from my ear, all along my neck and down to my full breasts, and I moan in response. He takes my arms and moves them above my head, pinning them in place exactly where he wants them. I wrap my legs more tightly around his waist, the thin fabric of my yoga pants rubbing against his jeans.

Levi’s mouth is over mine again, seeking entrance, which I grant. Our tongues swirl and move into each other and it’s the most electric sensation I’ve ever felt from a kiss. Levi’s touch sends tiny currents through my body. His effect on me is immediate, and I begin to grind down on his hardness because I need relief in the worst way. Being this close to him has me all kinds of needy and desperate. Moving his hips, he guides my pussy so it’s perfectly in line with his cock; the only things separating us are a few scraps of material. “You feel so fucking good, Wynnie. Just like I knew you would.”

Wynnie
.

Hearing that name causes ice to rush into my veins, my arousal turning off as quickly as a faucet. Suddenly, I’m full-on crying. Uncontrollable sobs escape from deep within as the realization of what I’ve just allowed to happen comes barrelling at me.
Oh, God. I’ve just erased Shawn’s last kiss from my lips; he’s no longer the last man to have kissed me. What have I done?
How could I?

“Wynnie, baby, what’s wrong?” Levi asks, concern lacing his tone, but I can’t find the words to reassure him that it’s just me. That I’ll be fine. Instead, guilt fuels my anger and I unleash it all on him.

“No! Don’t ever call me that,” I scream, while struggling against his arms, forcing him to let me down. My breathing is erratic as my body heaves, my emotions are so out of control. Backing away, he tries to talk to me, to comfort me again, but I want no part of it, or him. “No.” I raise my shaking hand. “You have no right to call me that, don’t ever call me that.
What have I done?!
”

With that, I bolt out of the storage room and beeline it for the front door where, as if by the grace of God, I fall hysterically bawling and speaking incoherently, right into the arms of the one person I need—London—who drops the tray of Starbucks she was carrying to catch me.

*

The next thing
I know, I’m waking up in my room. The space is dark except for the glow of the purple lamp that sits on the night table beside my queen-sized bed. Sitting up and shifting the blankets, I instantly have flashbacks of Levi—and my freak out. Tears threaten to come once again as I imagine how crazy he must think I am.

Leaning over to check the time, I realize it’s already after ten.
Oh, no! Emmerson!
And the tears fall as guilt about being a terrible mother seeps into my mind.

I notice a folded note resting on the base of the lamp, my name scrawled along the outside. I pick it up and see it’s from London.

Hooker:

All is good. Breathe. Emme is with me, we’re having a girls’ night over at my place. She, Luce, and I are having a pizza, nails, and movie night. So relax, she knows you’re not feeling well. Please believe me she was more than thrilled to come stay with us. I will have her back for brekkie.

P.S. You have got some big juicy dirt to share with me. And you have one hell of a sexy Boss Man that you need to call. Braun, he was scared shitless when he found you in my arms like you were. He carried you to my car and made me promise to have you call. He was super sweet. I know whatever happened involved him. All he would say was “tell her I’m sorry.”

Text me when you’re up.

xox,

L

Finally getting out of my bed, I decide I need some Grams time. Over the years, she’s been my biggest supporter, always offering me her perspective and never judging my craziness over the choices I’ve made. She has, however, always encouraged me to move on with my life. Pulling on my Brock U hoodie, I head upstairs in search of my grandmother.

I find her in the dimly lit kitchen, a teapot, ceramic mugs and a plate of fresh-baked cookies all set up on the dark kitchen table.

“Hi, darling. I figured you’d be up here soon enough.” She puts down her copy of “Desertion” by River Savage and comes to take me in a warm embrace. I notice her flinching a bit, and make a mental note to ask whether she’s been to the doctor yet. I glance at the book, needing her to be done with it ASAP. Grams, London and I have an addiction for sharing our sexy reads, and I’ve been waiting for this baby.

“How is it?” I hold it up, admiring the cover.

“Oh, it’s her best yet, in my opinion.” She releases her hold on me, and proceeds to gush about Jesse, the oh-so-conflicted hero.

“Well, hurry up. I just finished ‘Evanesce’ and need this,” I smile, gearing up for our talk.

“But, holy crap, does that Cassia give us a real doozy, or what?”

“She sure does,” says Grams. “I wasn’t sure I was going to get past that ending, let me tell you. London will lose her mind having to wait for the next one. Now, how about we have a spot of tea and figure out how to make the world right again?”

I nod, a tear running down my cheek despite the little reprieve she’d just given me from my troubles.

“I’d love that, Grams. I feel so stupid. God, Levi probably thinks I’m a mess,” I sigh, and sit down across from her at our small table. I immediately reach for a cookie before telling her everything that happened. My Grams is the best, and so I do tell her every detail. I mean, come on, we share our addiction for smut books, and she is, after all, the one who would love to see me with a new man in my life. So, yeah, she gets the long version.

“Do you want my honest opinion or the one you hope I give you?” she asks.

“No, I want to hear the truth. He’s going to fire me and recommend I see a therapist, right?” I huff, ignoring the dirty look she gives me.

“No, what I think is that what happened today was a good thing, and it’s about fucking time, actually.”

“Grams, language!” I chide, at her f-bomb drop. You know Violet Daniels is serious when she starts in with the four-letter word usage.

“Well, I’m serious, Braun. This boy obviously affects you, and you him. There’s no reason for you to feel embarrassed or that he’s judging you. So you have a past.
Everyone
has a past,” she stresses. “Yours is just a bit heavy, is all. Call him. You have his number. See what he says. After all, you’re friends, yes? Give him the opportunity to support you. Maybe give him some trust? Who knows, maybe this will give you the extra push you need to work on getting more of that human interaction I’d love to see you get.” She adds a wink to her last comment. “You need to move on without feeling guilty. You know it’s true. Shawn didn’t want this life for you. He wanted you to move on, so get moving sweetheart.” With that, she kisses my head, and leaves the room wishing me a good night.

“I know, you’re right.” I whisper, as I sit for a few more minutes contemplating her words.
Shawn, just give me a sign.

“Make that doctor’s appointment, Grams. Call tomorrow or else I will,” I call out, knowing she can still hear me.

Returning to my room, I decide Grams is right. I owe it to Levi to at least let him know I’m okay, and see what he’s actually thinking before assuming he’s ready to cut me off.

Tapping my finger across the screen, I look for Levi’s number under “Boss Man”. Steeling my nerves, I take a deep breath and hit call.

It doesn’t take long before I hear his gruff voice saying my name.

Levi

I
see her
name appear on my cell phone and I thank Christ that it’s her.

I’ve been sitting here for hours wondering what the hell went wrong. Other than the fact I kissed my friend, I have no clue. After all, it was Braunwyn that made the first move; I just went with it. But now I feel like a complete dick as I replay her reaction over and over in my mind.

Fuck me, did she taste good, her body melting into mine. I thought I was going to combust from the pressure of her sweet heat as she started to grind down on my cock. But then the hot replay is halted by the major freak-out that followed when I called her “Wynnie.”

All I know is that I will be getting to the bottom of that shit and soon. Never have I witnessed a chick lose it like that before over a name. I hate knowing that I did that to her, when all I want to do is make her smile and feel good, the way she’s been making me feel since the second she crashed into me a few weeks ago. My phone buzzes again, breaking me free from my thoughts.

“Braunwyn,” I answer, way too eagerly, but I honestly don’t give a shit at this point. I’m just happy she’s calling. Finally.

“Umm, hi, Levi. I’m…I’m so sorry for what happened. I’m mortified. I…” she trails off, her voice soft and low. “I need to explain, but I’m just not ready yet. I need more time. Please just know I am so sorry.”

I cut her off, needing to get out all the things I’ve been thinking of saying to her. “No. No. Listen to me baby,
I’m
sorry. I crossed the line, I took things too far, and we’re supposed to be friends. It’s on me; you have nothing to apologize for. Okay? Just tell me that you’re all right?”

I can feel the tension ease from her voice as she continues to talk to me.
That’s right, Braun. It’s all good, sweetheart. Just keep talking to me.

“Levi, honestly it was me. I pretty much
attached
myself to you. I’m sorry for that. God, it’s like I was a cat in heat. I am so embarrassed. I mean, you’re my boss…well, I hope you still are at least. And hopefully still my friend?” she questions, and I smile because we are so way past that, but again this—today—just shows me she’s not ready for more yet. So for now, I’ll play the friend role and count down the days until I can claim her as mine. I’ll do whatever it takes to make her comfortable with the idea of more, with me.